Sunday, May 2, 2010

The Workbasket

The Workbasket was a publication that started in 1935 and ended in 1996 and was full of crochet, embroidery, knitting, and other crafty things that one could make for onesself or for sale.  I recently found a year's worth starting in March 1946 and ending in February 1947 at an estate sale and it looks like the subscriber never even used these and let her whole dollar subscription run out.

If you've ever been alarmed by depictions of dancing tableware on tea towels or aprons the source was probably Workbasket.  Each issue had a large folded sheet of transfer patterns totally unrelated to what was in the current issue.  A short description of what they were for was printed on the transfer.  Here you would find frightening things like this clothespin dancing on a bar of soap. (For a clothespin bag.)
Or this little cutie from a series of seven for towels.
Embroidery instructions:
and the latest in crocheted accessories.
In browsing the net I have run across a Yahoo group dedicated to The Workbasket and this database of patterns and transfers that appeared in the publication.

I was going to add all of these to my Etsy store for sale, but now have to pick and choose.  Those kittens are just too cute to sell!

1 comment:

  1. Too cute to sell...but my first thought was, "I wonder if she is selling them?" These are precious. I am so inspired and love the clothespin and soap.

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